DE202017101933U1 - Highly flexible leak testing - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for leak testing an interior space (12) of a structural component (10) of an engine, in particular an internal combustion engine, such as e.g. a cylinder head, engine block, crankcase or the like., The structural component preferably has at least two separate internal spaces for the separate management of resources, in particular cooling liquid, lubricating oil or the like.; the device comprising a test pressure port (18) for pressurizing an interior to be tested (12) with a test pressure, a seal assembly for test pressure tightly sealing a plurality of openings (14) of the interior to be tested outwardly during the leak test, and 16) for measuring a pressure prevailing in the interior to be tested pressure comprises; characterized in that the arrangement for Prüfdruckdichten sealing at least one flexible sealing layer (21, 22), in particular membrane-like deformable sealing layer, which closes a plurality of openings (14) of the interior to be tested to the outside during the leak test.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention generally relates to the field of industrial leak testing machines. These are typically used for testing a cylinder head, an engine block or a comparable industrially manufactured, technical workpiece with at least one to be tested for leaks interior.

In particular, the invention relates to a device and its use in the leak testing of industrial structural components of drive machines in general, including electric drive machines, and a method for industrial leak testing, in particular made of cast blanks workpieces made of metal. The terms leak test and leakage test (leak testing) are synonymous here.

STATE OF THE ART AND TASK POSITION

In the industrial manufacture of internal combustion engines, e.g. Workpieces with a hollow volume or interior, in particular cylinder head and engine block or crankcase, are typically inspected for leaks in various interior spaces after machining. Only in this way can the proper functioning of the finished motor be ensured, because such workpieces or components, usually made of cast blanks, can, due to their production, have critical internal leaks, e.g. cast-defect-related pores or cracks. If a pressure or interior leaks, the component will fail completely or partially under operating pressure. This applies both to the lubricating oil system, and in particular for the finely branched channel system for cooling fluid. It is advantageous to check each workpiece prior to further processing or final assembly to the tightness of the respective interior. This applies in particular to the low wall thicknesses of workpieces made of die-cast aluminum (due to the weight reduction desired for emission reduction), but also in the case of conventional production in gray cast iron.

Is e.g. the tightness of the cooling system is not given, coolant can enter the combustion chamber or in the lubrication circuit. As a result, the life of the engine would be significantly reduced depending on the extent of the leak or the engine can be destroyed in the short term. A subsequent replacement of a leaking cylinder head or engine block would be unreasonable for cost reasons. Therefore leaking components must be sorted out and rejected as scrap from the final assembly of the internal combustion engine or undergo a repair and re-examine. A corresponding leak test is the main purpose of a generic device or of the generic method.

A leak test machine of older generation is from the patent application EP 0 122 551 A2 known. This has a sealing plate with a seal assembly suitable for motor block side open connection area of the cylinder head. In the test position, the workpiece lies with its connection area close to the seal arrangement of the sealing plate and is subjected to testing with compressed air.

A semi-automatic test system - especially for small batches - is in the patent DE 103 60 143 B4 disclosed. A leak test of a crankcase, especially a split crankcase, describes the patent DE 102 41 368 B4 ,

A fully automatic system for leakage testing of the younger generation is from the patent EP 1 333 266 B1 previously known, which represents the closest prior art. The leak test machine after EP 1 333 266 B1 is suitable for a cylinder head, an engine block or similar industrially manufactured workpiece with a leak-proof interior. It has a lower sealing plate and laterally and from above to be pivoted sealing ram, each with a seal assembly suitable for the open connection or connection area of the workpiece, which is to be sealed. At the connection area another component is connected in the finished state. On the machine frame a displaceably mounted workpiece holding device is provided. An adjusting device for bringing together the workpiece and the sealing plate includes, inter alia, a lifting device with lifting cylinders for raising the lower sealing plate against the workpiece and other drives for the sealing ram. The adjusting device thus sets the sealing plate and punch in a test position in which the workpiece with its connection region bears sealingly against the sealing arrangement of the sealing plate.

In the patent EP 1 333 266 B1 It is proposed to use for each type of workpiece a corresponding leak test machine - which corresponds to the current state of the art. To implement the local invention, however, at least one leak testing machine would have to be provided for each workpiece type. Each of these machines is then equipped with a suitable sealing arrangement for test pressure-tight sealing of several openings of the interior to be tested to the outside during the leak test, ie a correspondingly matching sealing plate and the matching sealing punches.

A highly flexible, more effective leak testing machine for testing at least four different types of components is described by the applicant in the still unpublished patent application no. PCT / EP2016 / 081532 or in the utility model DE 20 2015 106 873 proposed.

Particularly in the case of highly flexible manufacturing systems currently in circulation, for manufacturing e.g. There is still room for improvement in various large-series engines and their variants. The same applies, however, without highly flexible production, if e.g. On one and the same production line so-called modular engines, if necessary as a three-, four-, and six-cylinder in-line engine, without conversion to be produced. This is also associated with corresponding expense in the leak testing machines, i.a. for production, installation, control, maintenance, etc. and large footprint requirements.

It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide a solution associated with reduced effort for leak testing of a plurality of different workpiece types, wherein in particular the effort associated with the conventional sealing plates should be greatly reduced or avoided altogether.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A generic device or leak test machine is for leak testing of a structural component of a prime mover, such as a cylinder head, an engine block or similar industrially manufactured structural component with at least one or more to be tested for tightness inside rooms or pressure chambers. The apparatus is preferably understood to mean a machine, i. understood as needed, a separate or unit usable device that typically corresponds to a single plant station.

• -einen Prüfdruckanschluss und ggf. eine Druckquelle für Über- oder Unterdruck, zum Beaufschlagen eines zu prüfenden Innenraums mit einem Prüfdruck;
• -eine Dichtanordnung zum prüfdruckdichten Abdichten von mehreren Öffnungen des zu prüfenden Innenraumes nach Außen während der Dichtheitsprüfung, sowie
• -eine an sich bekannte Messeinrichtung zum Messen eines im zu prüfenden Innenraum herrschenden Drucks.

The generic device comprises

• -a test pressure connection and, if applicable, a pressure source for positive or negative pressure, for pressurizing an interior to be tested with a test pressure;
• a sealing arrangement for test pressure-tight sealing of several openings of the interior to be tested to the outside during the leak test, and
• a measuring device known per se for measuring a pressure prevailing in the interior to be tested.

The task solution according to the invention is distinguished by the fact that at least one flexible, in particular membrane-like deformable, sealing layer is provided or used for the test-pressure-tight sealing, wherein this sealing layer closes a plurality of openings of the interior to be tested to the outside during the leak-tightness test.

By means of a flexible sealing layer, on the one hand, a plurality of openings of the interior to be tested can be tested simultaneously and, on the other hand, the sealing can be carried out essentially completely independently of the geometry of the structural component.

Thus, the typical need for component-specific sealing plates to be used, since their function during sealing can be taken over substantially by the flexible sealing layer.

To make the connections required for the leak test, e.g. for applying test pressure may e.g. continue to be known per se used sealing stamp in combination with the flexible sealing layers.

The flexibility or flexibility of the sealing layer makes it possible to use the same type of sealing layer for a wide variety of component geometries and / or spatial distributions of the openings.

Thus, another component can be tested on the same device from one test cycle to the next without the considerable additional effort required, since the material-related flexibility of the sealing layer also ensures the adaptability of the device.

Advantageous developments emerge from the subclaims.

The invention also relates to a method in which at least one deformable sealing layer is sealingly attached to or on the structural component for sealing and / or the structural component is attached to or on at least one deformable sealing layer. One or more deformable sealing layers make it possible to seal a wide variety of components in a highly flexible manner during the tightness test to the outside.

list of figures

• 1: ein Prinzipschema einer Lecktestmaschine mit zwei verformbaren Dichtlagen zum Abdichten von Öffnungen der Strukturkomponente.

Further details and advantages of the invention can be found in the following detailed description of a purely exemplary embodiment of the invention (without limiting the scope) with reference to the accompanying drawings. This shows:

• 1 : A schematic diagram of a leak test machine with two deformable sealing layers for sealing openings of the structural component.

1 schematically shows a device for leak testing of an interior 12 a structural component 10 an internal combustion engine, here eg a cylinder head with an interior 12 for guiding a resource, eg coolant. In the structural component 10 are a variety of openings 14 provided to the outside, eg as interfaces to other components or connections of the engine.

A sealing / test stamp 16 a known type is mounted on one of the openings. He has seal / Prüfstempel 16 Prüfdruckanschluss 18 for applying an interior to be tested 12 with a test pressure. The measuring device for pressure in the interior 12 is known type and not shown in detail, as well as another seal / test stamp, with a measuring probe for pressure measurement is not shown. The pressure probe can also be in the shown sealing / test stamp 16 be integrated, which further reduces the effort, since only a single seal / Prüfstempel 16 in combination with several sealing layers 21 . 22 Check all pressure chambers. The sealing arrangement for Prüfdruckdichten sealing the openings 14 to the outside during the leak test has here namely two flexible, membrane-like deformable, sealing layers 21 . 22 has, which close a plurality of openings 14 of the interior to be tested to the outside during the leak test. On a first sealing layer 21 becomes the component 10 sealingly attached, eg positioned by an industrial robot. Subsequently, the second sealing layer 22 on upper openings 14 sealingly mounted in the component in order to close them together and proof pressure tight. Preferably, the test pressure is a negative pressure.

The sealing layers 21 . 22 can be made at least predominantly of technically recyclable material, such as beeswax or the like., Where appropriate, in a composite, for example on a carrier web of paper or thin-walled cardboard. Every seal 21 . 22 is sufficiently fixed to the pressure difference zw. atmospheric pressure and the test pressure, even for larger opening cross-sections, and should preferably be plastically deformable.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• EP 0122551 A2 [0005]
• DE 10360143 B4 [0006]
• DE 10241368 B4 [0006]
• EP 1333266 B1 [0007, 0008]
• EP 2016/081532 [0009]
• DE 202015106873 [0009]

Claims (11)

Device for checking the tightness of an interior (12) of a structural component (10) of a prime mover, in particular an internal combustion engine, such as a cylinder head, engine block, crankcase or the like, wherein the structural component preferably has at least two separate internal spaces for the separate management of operating means, in particular cooling fluid, Lubricating oil or the like; the device comprising a test pressure port (18) for pressurizing an interior to be tested (12) with a test pressure, a seal assembly for pressure sealing a plurality of openings (14) of the interior to be tested to the outside during the leak test, and 16) for measuring a pressure prevailing in the interior to be tested pressure comprises; characterized in that the arrangement for Prüfdruckdichten sealing at least one flexible sealing layer (21, 22), in particular membrane-like deformable sealing layer, which closes a plurality of openings (14) of the interior to be tested to the outside during the leak test. Device after Claim 1 , characterized in that the measuring device has at least one pressure and / or measuring probe (16). Device after Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that it comprises a handling device, in particular an industrial robot, for positioning the structural component (10) relative to the sealing arrangement and / or to the sealing layer (s) (21; 22) in order to bring it into an effective test position bring. Device after Claim 1 . 2 or 3 , characterized in that a device for renewing the sealing layer (21, 22) is provided. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 4 , characterized in that the arrangement for Prüfdruckdichten sealing a plurality of separate sealing layers (21, 22) which seal a test pressure-tight seal over a majority of the openings (14) of the interior to be tested to the outside and that actuatable test punches (16) are provided for Prüfdruckdichten operative connection with the remaining openings. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 4 , characterized in that the arrangement for test pressure-tight sealing a plurality of separate sealing layers (21, 22), which test all the openings of the interior to be tested to the outside test pressure tight sealing, and that a measuring probe through at least one of the sealing layers through to the interior to be tested Establishes connection for the measuring device. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 6 , characterized in that the device comprises a supply dispenser for providing new sealing layers. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 8th , characterized in that each sealing layer consists at least predominantly of technically recyclable material, such as beeswax or the like. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 8th , characterized in that each sealing layer is plastically deformable. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 9 , characterized in that the arrangement for Prüfdruckdichten sealing has no sealing plate. Use of a device for leak testing an interior of a structural component of a drive machine, which has at least two mutually separate internal spaces for operating means, comprising: - applying to test interior with a test pressure; -Sealing of several openings of the interior to be tested to the outside during the leak test; and measuring a pressure in the interior to be tested; comprises, characterized in that during sealing at least one membrane-like deformable sealing layer is used, in particular sealingly attached to or on the structural component; and / or the structural component is attached to or on at least one membrane-like deformable sealing layer in order to seal a plurality of openings of the interior to be tested to the outside during the tightness test.

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